The latest round of bargaining between the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) and Canada Post is a stark reminder of how undervalued essential workers often are. Today, CUPW presented new proposals that go beyond Canada Post’s most recent offer, which workers already rejected.
The union is now asking for a nine percent wage increase in the first year, followed by four percent in the second, and three percent in each of the next two years. Compare that to the roughly 13 percent over four years that Canada Post tried to pass off as fair back in May. Workers saw right through it and rightly so.
Let’s not forget, these are the same postal employees who keep packages moving across the country, through snowstorms, strikes, and even a pandemic. They’re being asked to handle more parcel deliveries including on weekends yet they’re still fighting for a contract that recognizes the rising cost of living.
Some will argue that CUPW is asking for too much. But what’s “too much” when inflation continues to eat into wages, when housing and groceries are hitting record highs, and when the workload only grows heavier? If Canada Post can expand its business by delivering more parcels and running weekend operations, it should also expand its commitment to the very people making that possible.
The union’s demand is not radical; it’s reasonable. Postal workers are asking for a fair share of the value they generate. The question now is whether Canada Post will finally recognize that or continue to shortchange the people who quite literally keep the mail moving.
